By Azer N. Parrocha
MANILA, Aug. 17 (PNA) — Three months after new transport categories were developed, ride-sharing service Uber on Monday finally filed its accreditation to secure a franchise under the Transport Network Company (TNC).
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) announced Uber’s filing of its accreditation via Twitter after giving the company only until Aug. 20 within which to secure a franchise.
“Uber files accreditation as a Transport Network Company (TNC) with LTFRB,” LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez said on his official Twitter account, @LTFRB_Chairman.
Uber falls under the Department of Transportation and Communications’ (DOTC) transportation network vehicle service (TNVs) category.
LTFRB enforces four categories of the country’s transport services.
Aside from TNVs, the other categories are premium taxi, airport bus, and bus rapid transit. These categories began implementation last May.
LTFRB last week warned Uber and similar ride-sharing services that if they fail to file accreditation before Aug 20, the Board will start cracking down and treating their vehicles as “colorum” vehicles.
Colorum vehicles carry a Php 200,000 fine under the LTFRB-LTO Joint Administrative Order (JAO) 2014-01.
Ginez earlier encouraged all TNCs and TNVs to comply with the Board’s Memorandum Circulars or face apprehension and penalized for operating without the legitimate franchise to transport passengers.
He noted that while the Board is open to embracing new technology, the priority is still to ensure the public’s safety and convenience by accreditation of qualified TNCs and issuance of franchises to TNVS operators that meet LTFRB’s legal requirements. (PNA)